Portable data set

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a portable data set including an assembly having a housing for mounting a printer and/or a keyboard together with carrying and supporting means. In one embodiment the carrying and supporting means is disclosed as having a pair of posts depending from the underside of the housing and joined by a curved, relatively long, handle; in another embodiment it is disclosed as positioned at the end of a housing, with the housing being provided with an elongated recess extending toward the handle; and in still another embodiment it is disclosed as including a pivotally mounted handle which can be used to support the data set on the user&#39;&#39;s arm, to carry the data set, or to support the unit on a supporting surface.

United States Pate Mulholland 1 1 May 20, 1975 [54] PORTABLE DATA SET D206492 12/1966 Boldt D56/4 B [75] Inventor: Robert P. Mulholland, Centerville, O E G PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Ohio 236,486 7/1925 United Kingdom 197/186 A Assigneez Monarch Marking y incl, 1.1501167 5/1969 United Kmgdom 197/186 R Dayton Ohlo Primary ExaminerErnest T. Wright, Jr. [22] Filed: Oct. 22, 1970 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Joseph .1. Grass 21 Appl. N6; 83,051 [57] ABSTRACT There is disclosed a portable data set including an as- [52] U.S. Cl. 197/186 R2 197/9 sembly having a housing for mounting a primer and/Or [5 1] Int. Cl 34L] 29/02 a keyboard together i Carrying and Supporting [58] F'eld of Search 197/9 1801 186 186 means. In one embodiment the carrying and support- 197/186 B? 312/208 ing means is disclosed as having a pair of posts depending from the underside of the housing and joined References Cited by a curved, relatively long, handle; in another em- UNITED STATES PATENTS bodiment it is disclosed as positioned at the end of a 647,853 4/1900 Long 197/9 housing, with the housing being Provided with an elon- 1,278,872 9/1918 Clamecy 197/186 A gated recess extending toward the handle; and in still 1,535,322 4/1925 Latta.... 197/186 A another embodiment it is disclosed as including a piv- 1,954,834 4/1934 Smith 197/9 otall mounted handle which can be used to support g i :8 6 3 the data set on the users arm, to carry the data set, or u1 2,912,090 11 1959 Holmes 197 9 x to Support the on a Supportmg i 2,973,602 3/1961 Nessel 312/208 UX 2 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures ,IBAZ

i ATENEB MAY 2 01975 SHEET 2 OF 3 PI'UENTEU HAY 2 1975 Sam 3 m 3 PORTABLE DATA SET FIELD OF THE INVENTION Referring to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, there is This invention relates to the art of portable data sets. 5 illustrated a Portable data Set generally indicated at SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention resides in relatively simple, lowcost,

convenient packaging for a portable data set. Specifil0 Cally, there is provided a convenient combination of structure for carrying, holding, and supporting the data set. The invention includes the provision of a curved handle which is longer than the width of the users hand to enable the user to grasp or grip it at a selected comfortable position; specifically, the handle is relatively long and is curved to a considerable extent so that the set can be supported and held either by the users left arm and left hand enabling the keyboard to be operated by his right hand, or by the users right arm and right hand enabling the keyboard to be operated by his left hand. In one embodiment the carrying and supporting member is rigidly mounted to the housing and in another embodiment it is pivotally mounted. In each of these embodiments, however, the carrying and supporting member can be used to mount or at least partly mount the data set on a supporting surface by means of support at three points. In still another embodiment, a handle extends outwardly from one side of the housing and the lower or bottom of the housing has an elongated recess, extending generally toward the handle, which is illustrated as conforming somewhat to the shape of the users arm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the invention showing the portable data set supported on a supporting surface;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the portable data set shown in FIG. 6 but showing the data set supported and held by the users arm and hand;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the data set, also shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, being hand carried; 1

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the data set also shown in FIGS. 6,7 and s;

7 FIG. 10 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the portable data set shown supported and held by the users arm and hand;

I FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the underside .of the portable data set also shown in FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary sectional view taken generally along line 1212 of FIG. 11.

The data set 20 includes an assembly with a housing 21 and a carrying and supporting; means 22. Mounted in the housing 21, as best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, is a keyboard transmitter or keyboard unit 23 housing a plurality of manually operable data and function keys24 for generating data and function signals and a printer 25 mounted to the rear wall 26 of the housing 21. The printer 25 is illustrated as being a tape printer having a pair of tape reels 27 and 28. Paper tape 29 is shown wound on the reels 27 and 28 and passes over guides 30 and 31. The message is printed on the tape 29 by printing means 32, and the printed message is visible through a window 33 in the housing 21. The printer 25 can be connected to a data storage unit (not shown) which can be disposed within the housing 21. The printer 25 can be connected to a suitable input device such as a hand-held scanner (not shown). The scanner can be provided with a-cord (not shown) which can be plugged into either a connector 34 on one side of the housing 21 or a connector 34 on the other side of the housing 21, providing an input signal to the printer 25 or storage unit. The keyboard 23 is connected to the printer 25 by conductors 35 (FIG. 4).

The housing 21 is formed of a plastic shell having shell sections 36 and 37 which can be formed by any suitable process such as molding or vacuum forming. The carrying and supporting means 22 is shown to include a pair of posts 38 and 39 suitably joined to the lower shell section 37 of the housing 21. The posts 38 and 39 are joined integrally with member or handle 40. The carrying and supporting means 22 provides not only a handle by which the data set 20 can be conveniently gripped by the user during use and carried while not in use, but it serves in addition as a pedestal by which the data set 20 can be supported on a supporting surface 41. The posts 38 and 39 are disposed at a considerable distance from each other being located near the left and right sides of the housing 21. The member 40 is generally curved in construction so that the data set 20 can be held at any selected comfortable position relative to the user. As shown in FIG. 2, the underside of the housing 21 is supported by the users right arm and the member 40 is gripped by his right hand; the keys 24 of the keyboard unit 23 can be operated by the users left hand. If the user desires to adjust the relative position of the data set 20 he merely shifts his hand along the member 40 and grips it at a different location. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 21 is supported by the users left arm and the member 40 is gripped by his left hand at a selected comfortable position so that the keys 24 can be operated by his right hand. As is evident from the drawing FIGS. 2 and 3, the member 40 is considerably longer than the width of the users hand so that the user can grasp the member 40 at a wide variety of positions or locations along its curved length. In addition, the handle 40 can be used to carry the data set 20 at the users side. 1

The carrying and supporting means 22 is also useful in supporting the data set 20 on a supporting surface 41 or the like. The position at which the posts 38 and 39 are secured to the housing 21 depends upon the center of gravity of the data set 20. As best shown in FIG. 4,

the center of gravity of the data set is disposed along a vertical line C-G. Three-point support is provided, one of the points being at the post 38, another point being at the post 39, and the remaining point being at the intermediate section 40a of the handle or member 40.

Referring to the embodiment of FIGS. 6-9, the portable data set 20A has a housing 21A which is identical to the housing 21 in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5, but the carrying and supporting means 22A is substantially different from the carrying and supporting means 22.

The carrying and supporting means 22A is shown to comprise a curved member or handle 50 having generally parallel portions 51 and 52 joined by a curved intermediate or bight portion 53. The handle 50 is curved in the same sense as the handle 40 in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 so that it can be conveniently supported and gripped by either the users left hand or his right hand in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The parallel portions 51 and 52 are pivotally mounted by posts or pins 54 and 55 rigidly connected to the housing 21A at one side of the center of gravity which is located along line C-G in FIG. 6. As indicated above, the data set 20A can be supported and held by the users arm and hand (FIG. 7), or it can be carried as indicated in FIG. 8, or it can rest on a supporting surface 41, as indicated in FIG. 6. In FIG. 6, the carrying and supporting means 22A is shown to contact the supporting surface 41 and the underside of the housing 21A. As the center of gravity of the data set 20A is disposed between the line of contact 21' where the housing 21A rests on surface 41 and the plane where the bight 53 of the carrying and supporting means 22A contacts the surface 41, the data set 20A has considerable stability and the keys 24A can be operated without tipping the data set 20A.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 10, 11, and 12, the portable data set 208 includes a housing 21B containing a keyboard transmitter or unit 23B with a variety of data and function keys and switches 59. A data storage unit (not shown) can form part of the keyboard unit 23B, if desired. The data set 203 includes a housing 21B having an elongated recess or channel 61 at its lower surface. A thin pad 62, composed for example of sponge rubber or other resilient material is secured in the recess 61. The recess 61 extends lengthwise along the entire length of the housing 21B toward a handle 62'. The underside of the housing 218 has relatively flat surfaces 65 and 66 disposed on opposite sides of the recess 61. The handle 62 can be of one-piece molded construction, if desired, having arm or bracket portions 63 and 64 secured to the lower portion of the housing 213. The ends of a handle portion 67 are joined to the bracket portions 63 and 64. The handle portion 67 is disposed parallel to, but at a convenient distance apart from end wall 68 of the housing 218, so that while the housing 213 is supported by the user's arm, received in the recess 61, the users hand can grip the handle 62 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 10. When not in use, the data set 203 can be conveniently carried by means of the handle 62 in a manner as illustrated in FIG. 8.-

By way of example, not limitation, the entire portable data set 20 in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5 weighs about 3.4 pounds, with the keyboard transmitter 23 and the printer 25 together comprising about 2.3 pounds, the housing 21 being constructed of fiberglass.

Other embodiments and modifications of this invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and all such of these as come within the spirit of this invention are included within its scope as best defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A portable data set comprising an assembly having a housing, a keyboard mounted by said housing, and a handle connected to said housing, said housing having an elongated recess in its lower surface extending toward 'said handle, said recess being shaped to receive the users arm, the set being capable of being supported on the arm of the user while at the same time the handle is capable of being gripped by his one hand and the user is able to operate the keyboard with his other hand.

2. A portable data set comprising an assembly having a housing, a keyboard mounted in the housing, means for providing an elongated recess at the underside of the housing to receive the users arm, and a handle connected to the housing, the handle having a handle portion spaced from the housing and disposed beyond the recess means so that the user can grip and handle portion with one hand while the housing rests on his one arm and so that the user can operate the keyboard with his other hand.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFI'CE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENT NO. 3, 4 342 DATED May 20, 1975 INV ENTOR(S) Robert P. Mulholland It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 3, line 32, "plane" should be place-. Column 4, line 42, "and" should be the-.

Signed and Sealed this thirtieth Day of September 1975 [SEAL] Arrest:

RUTH C MASON Alluring Officer C. MARSHALL DANN Commr'xsioner of Parents and Trademarks 

1. A portable data set comprising an assembly having a housing, a keyboard mounted by said housing, and a handle connected to said housing, said housing having an elongated recess in its lower surface extending toward said handle, said recess being shaped to receive the user''s arm, the set being capable of being supported on the arm of the user while at the same time the handle is capable of being gripped by his one hand and the user is able to operate the keyboard with his other hand.
 2. A portable data set comprising an assembly having a housing, a keyboard mounted in the housing, means for providing an elongated recess at the underside of the housing to receive the user''s arm, and a handle connected to the housing, the handle having a handle portion spaced from the housing and disposed beyond the recess means so that the user can grip and handle portion with one hand while the housing rests on his one arm and so that the user can operate the keyboard with his other hand. 